MINT HILL, NC – The second game of the season series was played on Thursday evening at Independence High School where a large crowd saw the Bulls even the series with the Patriots.

Hickory Ridge finished the top of the first inning with one hit and no runs.

In the bottom half of the inning, Luke Chantry led off for the Patriots and drew a walk and later stole second.  After Wilson Lohrer walked, Brandon Moser hit a hard grounder to first base.  The Bull’s first baseman went to second for the force out, but the Bulls could not turn the double play and Moser reached on a fielder’s choice.  Carson Gesing stepped up to the plate and singled to center field scoring both  Chantry and Moser giving Indy a 2-0 lead.

After holding the Bulls scoreless in the top of the second, the Patriots added two more runs in the bottom of the second.  Garrett Lawerence and Sam Merli drew walks and moved up to third and second bases on a passed ball.  Luke Chantry followed and singled to center field scoring Indy’s two base runners which gave the Patriots a 4-0 lead.

The top of the third was the inning that turned the game in Hickory Ridge’s favor.  The Bulls sent 15 batters to the plate which resulted in ten runs on six hits.  Indy committed two errors, walked four batters, committed two balks in the inning, and trailed 10-4.

After both teams going scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings, Hickory Ridge posted two more runs in the top of the sixth inning.

In the bottom half of that inning, Brayden Pimental hit a double to the left-field wall.  A few pitches later, Pimental stole third and scored on a passed ball making the final score 12-5 with the Bulls on top.

Hickory Ridge   0 0 10 0 0  2 0  – 12

Independence   2 2   0 0 0 1 0  –   5